Large numbers of farmed salmon reported to have escaped from Irish farm

The escape could involve as many as 30,000 salmon according to local environmental groups.

Irish salmon producer, the Mannin Bay Salmon Company has confirmed a significant escape of farmed salmon from one of its cages in Killary Harbour, sparking concerns over the potential impact on wild salmon stocks in the surrounding rivers.

The company reported that divers discovered a tear in one of the nets during a routine inspection on Monday morning.

The tear, believed to have occurred during maintenance work conducted in rough weather the previous day, led to the escape of an undisclosed number of fish. The net was promptly repaired and subsequently replaced, according to the Irish Times. 

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) was notified of the escape on August 13, and an investigation is now underway. An engineer from the department conducted a detailed assessment of the site on Thursday, with the marine engineering division preparing a report on the incident.

Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages (GBASC), an environmental group, has claimed that the escape could involve between 10,000 and 30,000 salmon, raising alarms about the impact on key angling rivers, including the Erriff and Delphi rivers.

The farmed salmon are 1.5 kg to 2kg in weight and reports indicate that large numbers can be seen throughout Killary Harbour.

GBASC spokesman Billy Smyth expressed concern that the escape could have a “devastating impact” on these rivers if the escaped fish are not recaptured.

In response to the incident, Mannin Bay Salmon Company has taken steps to mitigate the impact. The company has worked with DAFM and Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) to deploy specialised trap nets west of the cages, as well as additional draft nets along the north shore of the harbour. The company has also committed financial resources to support these recovery efforts.

Despite these measures, the company has sought to downplay the severity of the escape, describing the number of escaped fish as “insignificant.”

Mannin Bay Salmon Company noted that the escaped salmon are not expected to mature until winter 2025, and their survival rate is anticipated to be minimal.

However, environmental groups and local stakeholders remain concerned about the long-term effects. Smyth questioned the adequacy of the company’s emergency response plan, citing reports of large numbers of farmed salmon still visible near the cages. Salmon Watch Ireland has also alleged that the escape may have been caused by a fish farm boat colliding with the cages.

The salmon farm is licensed under Docon Limited, based in Mulranny, Co Mayo.